Method of containing a pot or floral grouping in a sleeve with expandable sidewalls

ABSTRACT

A floral sleeve sized to fit a flower pot, the sleeve having a base with side and bottom gussets for allowing expansion from a flattened position and method of using same. The sleeve may comprise a detachable upper portion, and a skirt portion.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser.No. 09/146,162, filed Sep. 2, 1998, which is a continuation in part of09/064,460, filed Apr. 22, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S.Ser. No. 08/788,616 filed Jan. 24, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,171,issued on May 12, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No.08/237,078, filed May 3, 1994, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979, issued onMay 6, 1997. Each of these applications is hereby incorporated byreference herein in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention generally relates to sleeves, and, moreparticularly, sleeves used to contain floral groupings and media, orused to wrap flower pots containing floral groupings and/or mediacontaining floral groupings, and methods of using same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0003]FIG. 1 is a side view of a sleeve having gusset expansion means ineach side thereof.

[0004]FIG. 2 is a side view of the sleeve of FIG. 1 partially expanded.

[0005]FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional through the sleeve of FIG. 2.

[0006]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 2 fullyexpanded.

[0007]FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of sleeve similar to the sleeveof FIG. 1 but having two gussets in each side of the sleeve.

[0008]FIG. 6 is a side view of another sleeve constructed in accordancewith the present invention and having a non-linear upper end.

[0009]FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a sleeve having an upperportion detachable via a line of perforations.

[0010]FIG. 8 is a side view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve of FIG. 7but having a non-linear line of perforations.

[0011]FIG. 9 is a side perspective view of a sleeve having a gusset ineach side but having a bottom gusset having a different configurationthan the bottom gusset in FIGS. 1-8.

[0012]FIG. 10 is a side view of a sleeve similar to the sleeve of FIG.10 but having a concave lower end.

[0013]FIG. 11 is a side view of a sleeve having a tapered side gusset.

[0014]FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the sleeve of FIG. 7 opened andcontaining a plant and growing medium.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0015] The present invention contemplates a preformed sleeve forcovering a flower pot having an upper end, a lower end, and an outerperipheral surface or for being used itself as a container for a plant.The preformed sleeve comprises a base portion having an upper end, alower end, and an interior space sized to contain a pot or a medium forcontaining a plant. A skirt portion may optionally extend from the upperend of the base portion. The sleeve comprises expansion means whichcomprise one or more gussets in each side of the base portion andoptionally in the skirt portion where present and optionally in theupper detachable portion where present. The preformed sleeve isinitially formed in a flattened condition and may be shipped in a flatcondition or may be expanded to an open condition prior to shipment. Thebase portion of the sleeve further comprises a gusset in the bottomthereof. Each side and the bottom may comprise more than one gussettherein. A bonding material may be disposed on an inner surface of thebase for connecting the sleeve to the pot means. The gusset expansionelement functions to aid the base portion in expanding to contain a potand in conforming to the shape of a pot when a pot is disposed withinthe sleeve. The preformed sleeve may further comprise a detachable uppersleeve portion generally sized to enclose a floral grouping and whichwhen detached may allow the skirt portion, if present, to extend awayfrom the base when a pot is disposed within the base portion of thesleeve. The upper portion when present may be detachable viaperforations, tear strips, weakened areas, or zippers. The upper sleeveportion may have an area which serves as a handle or support device. Thegusset expansion elements may extend the entire length from the lowerend of the base portion to the upper end of the sleeve or may extendonly an intermediate distance therebetween.

[0016] The gusset expansion elements are not intended to be limited onlyto those shown herein in view of the fact that gussets and theirmanufacture are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art ofmanufacturing bags.

[0017] The preformed sleeve may form part of a plant package when usedin conjunction with a flower pot assembly disposed within the retainingspace of the base portion of the sleeve, the pot assembly having afloral grouping disposed therein, and wherein the pot assembly issubstantially surrounded and encompassed by the base portion and thefloral grouping is substantially surrounded and enclosed by the uppersleeve portion in those embodiments wherein it forms a part of thepreformed sleeve.

[0018] Further, the detachable upper sleeve portion when present extendsfrom the upper end of the skirt when present, or it may be connected tothe base portion. When the upper sleeve portion is connected to thebase, it may be connected to an inner portion of the base, leaving theskirt portion exposed, or it may be attached to an outer portion of thebase, thereby enclosing the skirt portion until the upper sleeve portionis detached from the base portion thereby exposing the skirt.

[0019] The sleeve may be constructed from one or more types of material.The preformed sleeve may comprise a portion of a plant package whichadditionally comprises a pot assembly disposed within the sleeve, thepot assembly having a floral grouping disposed therein, and wherein thepot assembly is substantially surrounded and encompassed by the baseportion. Alternatively, the plant package may comprise only the sleeve,a plant, and a medium for containing the plant.

[0020] These embodiments and others of the present invention are nowdescribed in more detail below. It will be appreciated that the examplesprovided herein are not intended to limit the scope and extent of theclaimed invention but are only intended to exemplify various of theembodiments of the invention contemplated herein.

THE EMBODIMENTS AND METHODS OF USE OF FIGS. 1-11

[0021] Shown in FIG. 1 and designated therein by the general referencenumeral 10 is a flexible preformed tubular sleeve. The sleeve 10 isinitially formed as a flexible flat collapsed piece of material which isopenable in the form of a tube or sleeve which has a closed bottom, or aclosed bottom having draining holes or a partially open bottom. Prior toshipment to the user, or prior to use by the user, the sleeve may beexpanded into an opened configuration. The sleeve 10 is preferablytapered outwardly from the lower end toward a larger diameter at itsupper end. In its flattened state the sleeve 10 preferably has anoverall trapezoidal or modified trapezoidal shape, and when opened issubstantially frusto-conical. It will be appreciated, however, that thesleeve 10 may comprise variations on the aforementioned shapes or maycomprise significantly altered shapes such as square or rectangular, aslong as the sleeve 10 functions in accordance with the present inventionin the manner described herein.

[0022] The sleeve 10 has an upper end 12, a lower end 14, a first side16 and a second side 18. The sleeve 10 has an opening at the upper end12 and is closed with a bottom at the lower end 14. The sleeve 10 alsohas an inner peripheral surface which, when the sleeve 10 is opened,defines and encompasses an inner retaining space as indicated in FIG. 4.The first side 16 comprises a first side gusset 20 having an inner fold22. The second side 18 comprises a second side gusset 24 having an innerfold 26. A portion of the lower end 14 is preferably folded to form oneor more bottom gussets 28 constructed in a manner well known to one ofordinary skill in the art as shown in FIG. 1 for permitting a bottom ofan object such as a potted plant to be disposed into the inner retainingspace of the sleeve 10. Each bottom gusset 28 has an inner fold 30 asshown in the embodiment of FIG. 2. Further the lower end andparticularly the gusset therein may be constructed to form a roundbottom sleeve in the manner shown in copending U.S. Ser. No. 08/606,957,the specification of which is hereby incorporated herein in itsentirety. The sleeve in an alternate embodiment may be constructedwithout a gusset in its lower end. In another embodiment, the bottomgusset 28 may be constructed in a different configuration from thatshown herein. The sleeve 10 further comprises a first panel 32 betweensides 16 and 18, and a second panel 34 disposed between sides 16 and 18,and facing panel 32.

[0023] Further, the sleeve may comprise any shape, whether geometric,non-geometric, asymmetrical and/or fanciful as long as it functions inaccordance with the present invention. The sleeve may also be equippedwith drainage means (e.g., one or more holes) in the base portion orbottom thereof or ventilation holes (not shown) in the base or uppersleeve portion, or can be made from permeable or impermeable materials.

[0024]FIG. 3 shows a cross-section taken through sleeve 10 of FIG. 2,the sleeve 10 is slightly open, showing an inner space 36, as well asthe first side gusset 20 with inner fold 22, second side gusset 24 withinner fold 24, and first panel 32 and second panel 34. When the sleeve10 is in the fully open configuration as shown in FIG. 4, side gussets20 and 24 are expanded to form sides 16 and 18 of the cover,respectively. Similarly bottom gusset 28 is open to form the lower end14 of the cover. Preferably the sleeve 10 is sized to contain andconform to one of a variety of standard sizes of pots known to those ofordinary skill in the art, such as 4 inch, 6 inch and 8 inch pots. Asnoted above the sleeve itself may be used to contain a plant and agrowing medium without the use of a pot.

[0025] The sleeve contemplated herein may have more than one side and/orbottom gusset, for example as shown in FIG. 5. Sleeve 10 a is a sleevehaving an upper end 12 a, a lower end 14 a, a first side 16 a and asecond side 18 a. The sleeve 10 a has two gussets 20 a and 20 aa in thefirst side 16 a, and two gussets 24 a and 24 aa in the second side 18 a.The sleeve 10 a further has first panel 32 a and second panel 34 a. Thepresent invention further contemplates sleeve embodiments comprising aplurality of gussets in each side of the sleeve and/or in the bottom ofthe sleeve.

[0026] The upper end of the sleeves contemplated herein may have avariety of patterns. FIG. 6 shows a sleeve 10 b having a curved, ornon-linear, upper end 12 b. The non-linear upper end may be wavy,sinusoidal, scalloped, crenulate, crenelate, zig-zagged, or toothed, inany regular or irregular pattern.

[0027] The invention further contemplates a sleeve having an upperdetachable portion such as sleeve 10 c shown in FIG. 7. Sleeve 10 c isconstructed in a manner similar to any of sleeves 1010 b except sleeve10 c comprises a lower portion 40 and an upper portion 42. The upperportion 42 is detachable from the lower portion 40 via a detachingelement such as perforations 44. The sleeve 10 c has first side gusset20 c having inner fold 22 c and second side gusset 24 c having innerfold 26 c, in a manner similar to that for the previously-describedsleeve. The term “detaching element,” or “detaching means” as usedgenerally herein, means any element or means, or combination ofelements, or features, such as, but not by way of limitation,perforations, tear strips, weakened areas, zippers, and any otherdevices or elements of this nature known in the art, or any combinationthereof, which enable the tearing away or detachment of one object fromanother. Therefore, while perforations are shown and described in detailherein, it will be understood that tear strips, zippers, or any other“detaching elements” known in the art, or any combination thereof, couldbe substituted therefore and/or used therewith. Preferably, the upperportion 42 is sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping, andlower portion 40 is sized to contain and enclose a flower pot.

[0028]FIG. 8 shows a sleeve 10 d similar to sleeve 10 c except sleeve 10d comprises a lower portion 46 and an upper portion 48 which isdetachable from the lower portion via detaching means such asperforations 50 having a non-linear pattern. The non-linear pattern 50may have the same pattern as described above for the upper end 12 b ofsleeve 10 b. Sleeve 10 d further comprises a first side 16 d and asecond side 18 d, each side with a gusset, and a bottom 14 d with agusset 28 d.

[0029] As noted elsewhere herein, the configuration of the gusset shownin the sleeves of FIGS. 1-8 are not the only configurations contemplatedfor the present invention. Any gusset which functions in accordance withthe present invention may be used. For example FIG. 9 shows a sleeve 10e having a first side 16 e having a first side gusset 20 e with an innerfold 22 e, and a second side 18 e having a second side gusset 24 e withan inner fold 24 e and a lower end 14 e having a bottom gusset 28 e withan inner fold 30 e, which comprise configurations which are differentfrom corresponding features of the sleeves of FIGS. 1-8. Sleeve 10 e,however, functions in essentially the same manner, and is otherwiseconstructed in the same manner, as the sleeves of FIGS. 1-8. FIG. 10shows a sleeve 10 f which is constructed in a manner similar to that ofsleeve 10 e in FIG. 9 except for the configuration of a lower end of thesleeve 10 f. Sleeve 10 f has an upper end 12 f, a lower end 14 f, afirst side 16 f with a first side gusset 20 f having an inner fold 22 f,and a second side 18 f having a second side 18 f with a second sidegusset 24 f having an inner fold 26 f, the lower end 14 f has a bottomgusset 28 f having an inner fold 30 f. The bottom gusset 28 f has curvedportions 52 and 54 which provide the sleeve 10 f with the appearance ofhaving a curved lower end 14 f when in the flattened condition. Thegusset 28 f also has curved portions 56 and 58 in the first side 16 fand curved portions 60 and 62 in the second side 18 f. The curvedportions 5262 of the bottom gusset 28 f provide the sleeve 10 f with arounded bottom in the open condition for more closely conforming to therounded configuration of a typical round-bottom flower pot.

[0030] Any sleeve described herein may be constructed in a manner shownin sleeve 10 g in FIG. 11 wherein a side gusset 20 g having an innerfold 22 g is tapered to have a lesser width 64 at its lower end 14 g anda greater width 66 at its upper end 12 g. Such a configuration enables asleeve to have a tapered shape not only in the dimension spanning thefirst and second panels 32 g and 34 g, respectively, but also in thedimension spanning the sides of the sleeve.

[0031]FIG. 12 shows sleeve 10 c of FIG. 7, having a lower portion 41 andupper portion 42 which is separable via perforations 44 being used as acontainer for a plant medium 70 and a plant 72, disposed within themedium without using a pot. In a preferred version, the lower portion 40is constructed of a material resistant or impermeable to leakage, whilethe upper portion 42 is primarily constructed of a thinner transparentor translucent material.

[0032] The material from which the sleeve is constructed preferably hasa thickness in a range from about 0.1 mils to about 30 mils. Often, thethickness of the sleeve is in a range from about 0.5 mils to about 10mils. Preferably, the sleeve has a thickness in a range from about 1.0mil to about 5 mils. More preferably, the sleeve is constructed from amaterial which is flexible, semi-rigid, rigid, or any combinationthereof. The sleeve may be constructed of a single layer of material ora plurality of layers of the same or different types of materials. Anythickness of the material may be utilized as long as the materialfunctions in accordance with the present invention and is expandable toan open position as described herein. The layers of material comprisingthe sleeve may be connected together or laminated or may be separatelayers. Such materials used to construct the sleeve 10 are described inU.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637 entitled “Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping”issued to Weder et al., on May 12, 1992, which is hereby incorporatedherein by reference. Any thickness of material may be utilized inaccordance with the present invention as long as the sleeve may beformed as described herein, and as long as the formed sleeve may containat least a portion of a pot or potted plant or a floral grouping, asdescribed herein. Additionally, an insulating material such as bubblefilm, preferable as one of two or more layers, can be utilized in orderto provide additional protection for the item, such as the floralgrouping, contained therein.

[0033] In one embodiment, the sleeve may be constructed from a sheetcomprising two polypropylene films. The material comprising the sleevemay be connected together or laminated or may be separate layers. In analternative embodiment, the sleeve may be constructed from only one ofthe polypropylene films.

[0034] The sleeve is constructed from any suitable material that iscapable of being formed into a sleeve and wrapped about a pot and afloral grouping disposed therein. Preferably, the material comprisespaper (untreated or treated in any manner), cellophane, metal foil,polymer film, non-polymer film, fabric (woven or nonwoven or syntheticor natural), cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, or laminations orcombinations thereof.

[0035] The term “polymer film” means a man-made polymer such as apolypropylene or a naturally occurring polymer such as cellophane. Apolymer film is relatively strong and not as subject to tearing(substantially non-tearable), as might be the case with paper or foil.

[0036] The material comprising the sleeve may vary in color and mayconsist of designs or decorative patterns which are printed, etched,and/or embossed thereon using inks or other printing materials. Anexample of an ink which may be applied to the surface of the material isdescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,147,706 entitled “Water Based Ink On FoilAnd/Or Synthetic Organic Polymer” issued to Kingman on Sep. 15, 1992 andwhich is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0037] In addition, the material may have various colorings, coatings,flocking and/or metallic finishes, or other decorative surfaceornamentation applied separately or simultaneously or may becharacterized totally or partially by pearlescent, translucent,transparent, iridescent, neon, or the like, qualities. The material mayfurther comprise, or have applied thereto, one or more scents. Each ofthe above-named characteristics may occur alone or in combination andmay be applied to the upper and/or lower surface of the materialcomprising the sleeve. Moreover, portions of the material used inconstructing the sleeve may vary in the combination of suchcharacteristics. The material utilized for the sleeve itself may beopaque, translucent, transparent, or partially clear or tintedtransparent.

[0038] The term “floral grouping” as used herein means cut freshflowers, artificial flowers, a single flower or other fresh and/orartificial plants or other floral materials and may include othersecondary plants and/or ornamentation or artificial or natural materialswhich add to the aesthetics of the overall floral grouping. The floralgrouping comprises a bloom or foliage portion and a stem portion.Further, the floral grouping may comprise a growing potted plant havinga root portion (not shown) as well. However, it will be appreciated thatthe floral grouping may consist of only a single bloom or only foliage,or a botanical item (not shown), or a propagule (not shown). The term“floral grouping” may be used interchangeably herein with both the terms“floral arrangement” and “potted plant”. The term “floral grouping” mayalso be used interchangeably herein with the terms “botanical item”and/or “propagule.”

[0039] The term “growing medium” when used herein means any liquid,solid or gaseous material used for plant growth or for the cultivationof propagules, including organic and inorganic materials such as soil,humus, perlite, vermiculite, sand, water, and including the nutrients,fertilizers or hormones or combinations thereof required by the plantsor propagules for growth.

[0040] The term “botanical item” when used herein means a natural orartificial herbaceous or woody plant, taken singly or in combination.The term “botanical item” also means any portion or portions of naturalor artificial herbaceous or woody plants including stems, leaves,flowers, blossoms, buds, blooms, cones, or roots, taken singly or incombination, or in groupings of such portions such as bouquet or floralgrouping.

[0041] The term “propagule” when used herein means any structure capableof being propagated or acting as an agent of reproduction includingseeds, shoots, stems, runners, tubers, plants, leaves, roots or spores.

[0042] In accordance with the present invention, a bonding material maybe disposed on a portion of the sleeve to assist in holding the sleeveto the pot having the floral grouping therein when such a pot isdisposed within the sleeve or to assist in closing or sealing the upperportion of the sleeve or in adhering the sleeve to the pot after the pothas been disposed therein for example in the manner shown in U.S. Pat.No. 5,493,809 which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

[0043] It will be understood that the bonding material may be disposedas a strip or block on a surface of the sleeve. The bonding material mayalso be disposed upon either an outer peripheral surface or an innerperipheral surface of the sleeve, as well as upon the pot. Further, thebonding material may be disposed as spots of bonding material, or in anyother geometric, non-geometric, asymmetric, or fanciful form, and in anypattern including covering either the entire inner peripheral surfaceand/or outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and/or the pot or potcover. The bonding material may be covered by a cover or release stripwhich can be removed prior to the use of the sleeve, pot or pot cover.The bonding material can be applied by means known to those of ordinaryskill in their art. One method for disposing a bonding material, in thiscase an adhesive, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,111,637 entitled“Method For Wrapping A Floral Grouping” issued to Weder et al., on May12, 1992, which has been incorporated by reference above.

[0044] The term “bonding material or bonding means” when used hereinmeans an adhesive, frequently a pressure sensitive adhesive, or acohesive. When the bonding material is a cohesive, a similar cohesivematerial must be placed on the adjacent surface for bondingly contactingand bondingly engaging with the cohesive material. The term “bondingmaterial” or “bonding means” also includes materials which are heatsealable and, in this instance, the adjacent portions of the materialmust be brought into contact and then heat must be applied to effect theseal. The term “bonding material or bonding means” also includesmaterials which are sonic sealable and vibratory sealable. The term“bonding material or bonding means” when used herein also means a heatsealing lacquer or hot melt material which may be applied to thematerial and, in this instance, heat, sound waves, or vibrations, alsomust be applied to effect the sealing.

[0045] Alternatively, a cold seal adhesive may be utilized as thebonding material or means. The cold seal adhesive adheres only to asimilar substrate, acting similarly as a cohesive, and binds only toitself. The cold seal adhesive, since it bonds only to a similarsubstrate, does not cause a residue to build up on equipment, therebyboth permitting much more rapid disposition and use of such equipment toform articles and reducing labor costs. Further, since no heat isrequired to effect the seal, the dwell time, that is, the time for thesheet of material to form and retain the shape of an article, such as aflower pot cover or flower pot, is reduced. A cold seal adhesive bindsquickly and easily with minimal pressure, and such a seal is not readilyreleasable. This characteristic is different from, for example, apressure sensitive adhesive.

[0046] It will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the artthat equipment and devices for forming floral sleeves are commerciallyavailable, and are well known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.Therefore, further discussion of the construction of the coversdescribed herein is not deemed necessary.

[0047] In one version of the present invention a strip of bondingmaterial (not shown) may be disposed adjacent the upper end of thesleeve for allowing the upper end to be sealed for enclosing the upperportion of the sleeve about a floral grouping disposed therein. Inanother version of the present invention, a sleeve may comprise a flappositioned at the upper end which can be folded over and sealed with aflap bonding strip to an adjacent portion of the outer peripheralsurface of the sleeve near the upper end thereof. Other versions of thesleeve (not shown) may comprise ventilation holes or drainage means(e.g., holes in the lower end 14) for allowing movement of gases ormoisture to and away from the inner space of the sleeve.

[0048] In another embodiment, the sleeve, may further comprise anextended portion having apertures therein, which portion extends awayfrom a portion of the upper end of the sleeve for allowing the sleeve tobe supported on a support assembly commercially available and known byone of ordinary skill in the art such as a pair of wickets for shipment,storage, assembly of the sleeve, placement of the pot within the sleeve,or other functions known in the art. The extension may have a pluralityof perforations or other detaching means for allowing the extension tobe removed from the upper end sleeve after the sleeve has been providedfor use as described elsewhere herein. In another version of theinvention a sleeve has an extended portion comprising a handle forcarrying the potted plant package by the sleeve. The sleeve may furthercomprise a detaching element comprising perforations for removing thehandle at a later time.

[0049] Other versions of the present invention may comprise additionalperforated areas for enhancing angularity of the extension of a skirtportion away from a base portion after an upper portion of the sleevehas been detached. Examples of such sleeves described above hereincomprising these additional features are shown in FIGS. 6-8 and 14-20 ofU.S. Pat. No. 5,625,979 and the corresponding descriptions therein,which are specifically hereby incorporated herein by reference.

[0050] Each side gusset of the sleeve comprises one or more areas ofexcess material which may have the form of a pleat which extends fromthe lower end to the upper end of the sleeve. Preferably the surfaces ofthe facing surfaces of the gussets are substantially unconnected to eachother along their lengths.

[0051] The side gussets in the sleeve contemplated herein may beconstructed in such a way that each side gusset extends completely fromthe lower end of the sleeve to the upper end of the sleeve, for exampleas shown in FIG. 1. Alternatively, a sleeve may comprise gussets whichextend from the upper end only part of the distance toward the lower endor from the lower end to only the part of the distance toward the upperend.

[0052] It will generally be desired to use the sleeve 10 as a coveringfor a potted plant.

[0053] The term “pot” as used herein refers to any type of containerused for holding a floral grouping or plant. Examples of pots, used inaccordance with the present invention include, but not by way oflimitation, clay pots, wooden pots, plastic pots, pots made from naturalmad/or synthetic fibers, or any combination thereof. The pot is adaptedto receive a floral grouping in the retaining space. The floral groupingmay be disposed within the pot along with a suitable growing mediumdescribed in further detail below, or other retaining medium, such as afloral foam. It will also be understood that the floral grouping, andany appropriate growing medium or other retaining medium, may bedisposed in the sleeve without a pot (see FIG. 12).

[0054] The sleeves described herein may be formed by advancing twoseparate webs, one or two webs preformed in the form of a tube, or asingle web folded double and sealing the longitudinal sides and bottomof the two facing panels then cutting the sleeve thus formed from thewebs or web. Machines which can form sleeves from such single webs orpairs of webs are well within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill inthe art.

[0055] It should also be noted that for all versions of sleevesdescribed, it may be desirable to have a release material or cover stripcovering the adhesive or cohesive bonding material when such a bondingmaterial is disposed on any portion of the sleeve for preventing thebonding material from bonding to another surface until the desired time.Further in each of the cases described herein wherein a sleeve isapplied to a pot or a covered pot, the sleeve may be applied theretoeither by depositing the pot or covered pot downwardly into the openretaining space of the sleeve, or the sleeve may be brought upwardlyabout the pot or covered pot from below the pot or a covered pot.

[0056] It should be further noted that various features of the versionsof the present invention such as closure bonding areas, supportextensions, handles, additional perforations, drainage means,ventilation holes, combinations of material may be used alone or incombination as elements of any of the embodiments described aboveherein.

[0057] Changes may be made in the construction and the operation of thevarious components, elements and assemblies described herein or in thesteps or the sequence of steps of the methods described herein withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A preformed sleeve sized to contain a flower pot,comprising: a base initially having a flattened condition prior to beingopened for use, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, asecond side, a first panel and a second panel, the base tapered from theupper end to the lower end, and having expansion means comprising agusset in each of the first side, the second side, and the lower end,wherein the gussets expand when the base is opened from the flattenedcondition to enable deposition of a flower pot into the opened base. 2.The sleeve of claim 1 wherein each gusset has an inner fold.
 3. Thesleeve of claim 1 further comprising a skirt portion extending from theupper end of the base where the skirt portion extends above the upperend of the pot when a pot is disposed within the base.
 4. The sleeve ofclaim 3 wherein the skirt portion has an upper end having a non-linearpattern.
 5. The sleeve of claim 1 further comprising a detachable upperportion which is sized to substantially enclose a floral groupingdisposed within a pot disposed within the base.
 6. The sleeve of claim 5wherein the upper portion has a first gusset in a first side thereof anda second gusset in a second side thereof.
 7. The sleeve of claim 5wherein the upper portion is detachable via detaching means selectedfrom the group consisting of perforations, tear strips and zippers. 8.The sleeve of claim 5 wherein the upper portion is detachable viaperforations having a non-linear pattern.
 9. The sleeve of claim 1wherein the lower end of the base has a concave curvature.
 10. Thesleeve of claim 1 wherein the base comprises an adhesive or cohesivebonding material disposed upon a portion thereof.
 11. The sleeve ofclaim 1 wherein the base substantially conforms to an overall shape of apot when said pot is disposed within the base.
 12. The sleeve of claim 5wherein the upper portion has an upper end which has an adhesive orcohesive bonding material thereon for sealing the upper end of the upperportion.
 13. The sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from amaterial selected from the group consisting of treated or untreatedpaper, cellophane, metal foil, polymer film, non-polymer film,cardboard, fiber, cloth, burlap, and laminations or combinationsthereof.
 14. The sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from amaterial having a thickness in a range of from about 0.1 mils to about30 mils.
 15. The sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from amaterial having a thickness in a range of from about 0.5 mils to about10 mils.
 16. The sleeve of claim 1 further defined as constructed from amaterial having a thickness in a range of from about 1 mil to about 5mils.
 17. A preformed sleeve sized to contain a flower pot, comprising:a base initially having a flattened condition prior to being opened foruse, and having an upper end, a lower end, a first side, a second side,a first panel and a second panel, the base having expansion meanscomprising a gusset in each of the first side, the second side, and thelower end, wherein the gussets expand when the base is opened from theflattened condition to enable deposition of a flower pot into the base,the sleeve further comprising a detachable upper portion, the detachableupper portion sized to substantially enclose a floral grouping or plantdisposing within the flower pot and extending a distance above theflower pot.
 18. The sleeve of claim 17 wherein the base is tapered fromthe upper end to the lower end.
 19. The sleeve of claim 17 wherein theupper portion is detachable via perforations.
 20. The sleeve of claim 17further comprising a skirt portion disposed between the base and theupper portion, wherein the upper portion is detachable from the skirtportion.
 21. The sleeve of claim 20 wherein the skirt portion has anupper end having a non-linear pattern.
 22. The sleeve of claim 17wherein each gusset has an inner fold.
 23. The sleeve of claim 17wherein the lower end of the base has a concave curvature.
 24. Thesleeve of claim 17 wherein the upper portion has a first gusset in afirst side thereof and a second gusset in a second side thereof.
 25. Thesleeve of claim 17 wherein the base substantially conforms to an overallshape of a pot when said pot is disposed within the base.
 26. The sleeveof claim 19 wherein the upper portion is detachable via perforationshaving a non-linear pattern.
 27. The sleeve of claim 17 wherein theupper portion has an upper end which has an adhesive or cohesive bondingmaterial thereon for sealing the upper end of the upper portion.